RE: [APML]: Focal Reducer

[Tom Porter <Tom.Porter@digital.com>]

The Astro-Photography Mailing List
------------------------------------

Greg,

I've been very satisfied with my Meade LX.  I spent a lot of time
deciding between a Celestron and Meade.  It appears that Meade has a
very bad name in general (especially with the CCDs)...however they have
to be doing something right or they couldn't pay for all those
ads...;^).  The GOTO is very accurate on my LX and always places the
object within a few arc minutes of dead center.  I also ran star tests
on the optics and I get near identical diffraction rings on both sides
of focus, with a nice airy disk at 500x.  Mirror shift on my unit is so
small as to be almost unnoticeable (although I have also seen Meades
where this is not true).

I don't have any direct experience with the Orion scopes.  I have
purchased many accessories from them and they are very reputable.  I
believe they are truthful in that the photos as stated are taken by the
scopes as listed in their catalog, however I believe the scopes are not
always mounted on the mount that it is sold with.  I have also heard
that the Vixen Flourite OTAs are very good.

Clear Skies!
Tom Porter


                -----Original Message-----
                From:   Gregory David Stempel
[mailto:fyrframe@ptinet.net]
                Sent:   Friday, July 17, 1998 11:26 AM
                To:     astro-photo@nightsky.com
                Subject:        Re: [APML]: Focal Reducer

                The Astro-Photography Mailing List
                ------------------------------------

                Tom

                I appreciate your feedback on the Meade system. I am in
the market for a
                good scope, and read this feedback with interest.

                What do you know of Orion systems, are they what the
catalogues claim?


                Thanks, and take care out there.
                Gregory David Stempel
                FIREFRAME IMAGING